Accident Overview
A Boeing B75N1 (Stearman) tailwheel biplane, registration N1066M, was substantially damaged during a landing at Culpeper Regional Airport (CJR), Culpeper, Virginia, on July 12, 2008, at 1325 eastern daylight time. The private pilot sustained minor injuries, while the passenger was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft, a biplane manufactured in 1942, was equipped with tailwheel landing gear. The pilot had owned the airplane since November 1998, according to a bill of sale. At the time of the accident, the airframe had accumulated about 3,185 total hours. The most recent annual inspection occurred on October 1, 2007, and the aircraft had accrued about 13 hours of operation since then. The Continental W670 series radial engine had about 41 hours since its most recent overhaul.
Pilot Information
The certificated private pilot reported 1,317 hours of total flight experience, including 377 hours in the same make and model. He had flown 14 hours in the 90 days preceding the accident and 4 hours in the 30 days prior. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on March 13, 2007.
Accident Sequence
The pilot was landing on runway 4, a 5,000-foot-long by 100-foot-wide asphalt runway. After touchdown on the main landing gear, the airplane veered left. The pilot applied rudder to correct, but the airplane then veered right, exited the right side of the runway, entered a ditch, and nosed over.
Postaccident Examination
The pilot stated no mechanical malfunctions occurred, and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector found no mechanical issues during a postaccident examination. Damage included the upper and lower left wings, empennage, landing gear, and propeller.
Weather Conditions
An FAA inspector arriving at the airport about 3 to 5 minutes after the accident observed a windsock near runway 4 indicating a very light southerly wind from approximately 160 to 180 degrees at no more than 5 knots. The automated weather observation system (AWOS) at CJR reported winds from 320 degrees at 4 knots at 1320, and from 190 degrees at 4 knots at 1340. The pilot stated he listened to the AWOS broadcast while in the traffic pattern, which indicated calm winds. He remarked that the accident might have been prevented by less trust in the AWOS, closer attention to the windsock, using more power on landing to overcome a quartering tailwind, and using less corrective rudder application.